Writing in the Chronicle , Paul Krugman has decided that the attempt by Wisconsin Republicans to end collective bargaining for public sector unions is a case of "right-wing ideologues have exploited crises to push through an agenda that has nothing to do with resolving those crises, and everything to do with imposing their vision of a harsher, more unequal, less democratic society".

So let's get this straight: Gov. Walker, who was elected by the voters in Wisconsin, and the Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly, who were elected by the voters, are trying to pass legislation using the democratic process — a vote by elected representatives. Democrats, knowing they will lose this vote, left the state to avoid this vote. And yet somehow it is Republicans who are seeking to establish a "less democratic society"?

Somewhere, George Orwell is kicking himself for not having copyrighted the term "Orwellian".